Anchor



Sept. 20, 1955 J, v, CRAWFORD ETAL. Re. 24,061

ANCHOR Original Filed Dec. 13, 1947 PAVMaA/a I44 t/z'xvsi/v,

INVEN TORS.

Q'LImM M44155 [4 CRAWFORD,

United States Patent ANCHOR James V. Crawford and Raymond W. Jensen, LosAngeles,

Calif., assiguors to The Garrett Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., acorporation of California Original No. 2,593,111, dated April 15, 1952,Serial No. 791,554, December 13, 1947. Application for reissue September13, 1952, Serial No. 309,572

8 Claims. (Cl. 114-207) Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears in theoriginal patent but forms no part of this reissue specification; matterprinted in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

Our invention relates to marine anchors. More particularly it relates tomarine anchors of the so-called lightweight, folding type. Anchors ofthe general type of that of the present invention are disclosed in thepatent to Northrop and Gesner, Reissue 21,841, dated June 24, 1941.

One problem encountered in the use of light-weight boat anchors byowners of small craft or seaplanes is that of aboardship stowage andhandling posed by the peculiarly awkward shape of these anchors. Ananchor of this type has a shank, and a stock at the crown or bottom endof the shank at right angles thereto. A fluke arm with its flukes isdisposed at the bottom of the shank, but in a plane at right angles tothe plane of the shank and stock. The result is an object which by itsvery intent and purpose is so shaped that it will not lie flat against aboat deck or in a locker, unless it can be folded. The aforementionedpatent discloses a folding anchor, but the construction taught isregarded as being relatively complex.

Accordingly, it is an object of our invention to provide an anchor ofthe aforementioned type which can be folded and which is of simpleconstruction.

We obtain our objective by securing the shank and stock in fixedlyassembled relationship and by detachably securing thereto a unitaryarm-and-fluke member. By the operation of a simple latch the fluke armmember may be released from secured engagement with the stock and shank.It may then be slid up the shank to a point where it may be swungthrough ninety degrees, until it lies in the plane of the shank andstock, whereupon it may be slid down the shank and relatched in stowingposition.

It is a further object to provide a cooperative sliding and rotatingrelationship between the fluke arm and the shank, whereby the variousparts of the anchor are not separated from each other during any part ofthe operation of changing the anchor from working to stowing positionsor vice versa, thereby eliminating any possibility of lost pins, bolts,etc.

Further objects will be apparent upon an inspection of the accompanyingdrawings when considered with the following description and the appendedclaims.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate likeparts throughout:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the anchor in its usual or workingposition,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the anchor showing it prepared forstowing,

Figure 3 is a fragmental cross-sectional view taken in the plane 3-3 ofFigure 1, and

Figure 4 is a partially cross-sectional fragmental view taken on theline 44 of Figure 3.

The anchor is shown as having a shank 10, of a generallysquare-channeled cross-section and tapering symmetrically from itssmallest cross-sectional dimensions Re. 24,051 Reissued Sept. 20, 1955at the free end 11 to its largest cross-sectional dimensions at thecrown end 12. The free end of the shank has a hole 13 to receive a ring14 for the purpose of attaching an anchor cable (not shown). The crownend of the shank receives the stock member [arm] 15 through apertures 16in the shank sides 17, as best shown in Figure 4. The central portion ofthe stock which lies between the sides of the shank is flattened at 15ato secure it against end-wise movement within the apertures.Disposedwithin the channel of the shank is a latch 18, preferably madefrom a strip of spring steel bent to shape as shown and secured to theweb 19 of the shank by means of rivets 20.

Slidably disposed on the shank 10 is a fluke arm member 21, generallychannel shaped in cross-section, having flukes 22 of suitable size andshape, integral therewith and disposed substantially in spacedsymmetrical relationship as shown. The arm and flukes are preferablystamped from a single piece of steel strip, as is the shank 10.

The arm 21 has at its center a square aperture 23 in a web or bottom 23aof such size that the arm fits the shank snugly adjacent the crown endwhen the anchor is in either its working or stowing position. By virtueof the tapering cross-section of the shank, when the arm 21 is slid upthe shank to a position near the relatively small free end thereof (asshown by the dotted outline in Figure l), the arm is capable of rotationin either direction about the axis of the shank to a position in theplane of the shank and stock, whereupon it may be slid back down theshank to the position shown in Figure 2. If desired, the ring 14 may beof such size that it will prevent the arm from sliding completely oilthe shank.

In the working position of the anchor, the stock 15 engages [receivesthe arm 21 by means ot] a pair of apertures 24 provided in the sides 24aof the arm 21. The relatively snug fit of the fluke arm against theshank prevents appreciable movement of the arm about the axis of theshank, and it will be apparent that the stock serves to preventsubstantial rocking movement of the arm about the axis of the stock whenthe apertures in the arm engage it as described.

In order to change the anchor from the working position shown in Figure1 to the stowing or handling position shown in Figure 2, it is onlynecessary to depress the latch 18, thereby releasing the fluke arm 21from locked relationship with the shank and stock. The fluke arm maythen be slid up the tapered shank to the point shown in dotted outline,whence it may be rotated 90 in either direction on the axis of theshank. After rotation the fluke arm is then slid back down the shank tothe position shown in Figure 2, where the side wall portions of the armcover the sides of the stock 15, at which point the latch 18 will springout to retain the arm in that position against sliding movement. Inorder to return the fiuke arm to its working position it is onlynecessary to reverse the above steps.

It will thus be seen that we have invented a novel and simple anchorconstruction which readily solves a vexing stowage problem for theowners of small watercraft, seaplanes, etc. It will, of course, beapparent that departures may be made from the design and constructionillustrated and described without departing from the essence and scopeof our invention as defined by the apppended claims.

We claim:

1. In an anchor adapted to be latched in stowing and working positions,the combination of: an elongated shank having a generally channeledcross-section along its longitudinal axis from a region adjacent thecrown end to a region distal thereof, said shank being reduced in sizeat said distal region; a stock immovably secured adajcent the crown endof said shank; a fluke arm having an aperture in one face thereof, saidaperture having a configuration for slidingly receiving said shankadjacent the crown end thereof in the stowing and working positions ofthe anchor, said fluke arm being rotatable between the stowing andworking positions about said longitudinal shank axis adjacent saiddistal region; and latch means disposed in the channel of said shankadjacent the crown end thereof, said latch means comprising a detentportion normally urged outwardly from said channel and overlying asurface on said fluke arm when said anchor is in its stowing and workingpositions. 4

2. In an anchor adapted to be latched in stowing and working positions,the combination of: an elongated shank of generally channeledcross-section, said shank being reduced in size at a region distal ofits crown end; a stock immovably secured adjacent the crown end of saidshank; a fluke arm of generally channeled cross-section comprising a weband sides downwardly disposed from said web, said fluke arm web beingapertured so as to slidably receive said shank therein, the channelformed by said fluke arm web and arm sides receiving said stock inoverlying relationship when said anchor is latched in its stowingposition, said arm sides being apertured so as to receive said stockwhen said anchor is latched in its working position, said fluke armbeing rotatable between the stowing and working positions about saidlongitudinal shank axis adjacent said distal region; and latch means inthe channel of said shank for releasably preventing sliding movement ofsaid shank in said web aperture.

3. In an anchor adapted to assume a stowing position and a workingposition, the combination of: a shank; a stock immovably securedadjacent the crown end of said shank; and a fluke arm of generallychanneled cross-section comprising a web and sides downwardly disposedfrom said web, said web being apertured so as to slidingly receive saidshank therein, the channel formed by said web and sides receiving saidstock in overlying relationship when said anchor is in its stowingposition, said sides being apertured so as to receive said stock whensaid anchor is in its working position.

4. The invention of claim 3 further characterized by said fluke armsides being apertured adjacent the lower edges thereof distal of saidweb aperture, the distance of said web aperture from said side aperturesbeing such that substantial rocking movement of said fluke arm on saidshank is prevented when said anchor is in its working position.

5. In combination in an anchor adapted to be latched in stowing andworking positions, said anchor having a shank and a stock immovablysecured adjacent the crown end of said shank; a fluke arm of generallychanneled cross-section comprising a web and sides extending from saidweb, said web being apertured so as to slidingly receive said shanktherein, the channel formed by said web and sides receiving said stockin overlying relationship when the anchor is latched in its stowingposition, said sides being apertured so as to receive the stock whensaid anchor is latched in its working position, said fluke arm beingrotatable about said shank at a region distal of said latchingpositions; and latch means on said shank, said means comprising a detentportion overlying a surface on said fluke arm for releasably securingsaid fluke arm against sliding movement away from said positions.

6. An anchor formed for adjustment between stowing and workingconditions comprising: a shank with a polygonal cross-sectional outline,said shank having cablereceiving and crown ends; stock and fluke-armmembers carried by said shank, said members extending transversely ofsaid shank and being disposed in angularly related planes in the workingcondition of said anchor, one of said members being rigidly fixed to thecrown end of said shank, the other member having a polygonal hole toreceive said shank for longitudinal adjustment, the relative sizes ofsaid shank and the hole in said other member being such as to make thelatter rotatably adjustable on said shank at the cable-receiving endthereof and secured against rotation on said shank at the crown end;means on said members forming an interlocking relationship therebetweenin both stowing and working conditions of said anchor; and latch meansat the crown end of said shank to engage said adjustable member andprevent undesired movement thereof longitudinally of said shank.

7. An anchor formed for adjustment between stowing and workingconditions comprising: a shank with a cablereceiving and crown ends,said shank having a polygonal cross-sectional outline and being taperedfrom the crown to the cable-receiving end; stock and fluke-arm memberscarried by said shank, said members extending transversely of said shankand being disposed in angularly related planes when the anchor is inworking condition, said members being in the same plane when the anchoris in stowing condition, one of said members being rigidly fixed to saidshank, the other member having a polygonal hole to closely fit the crownend of said shank and prevent rotary movement of said member in bothstowing and working conditions of said anchor, said other member beingadjustable longitudinally of said shank and rotatable thereon whendisposed adjacent the cable receiving end; means on said members formingan interlocking relationship therebetween in both stowing and workingconditions of said anchor; and latch means adjacent the crown end ofsaid shank for retaining said adjustable member against undesiredmovement from the crown toward the cablereceiving end.

8. An anchor formed for adjustment between stowing and workingconditions comprising a shank having cablereceiving and crown ends;stock and fluke-arm members carried by said shank, said membersextending transversely of said shank and being disposed in angularlyrelated planes when in working positions, one of said members beingrigidly fixed to the crown end of said shank, the other member and saidshank being formed to interfit to preclude relative rotary movement whensaid other member is disposed at the crown end of said shank, said othermember being rotatable on said shank when disposed adjacent thecable-receiving end thereof; means on said members forming an.interlocking relationship therebetween in both stowing and workingconditions of said anchor; and latch means adjacent the crown end ofsaid shank for retaining said adjustable member against undesiredmovement longitudinally of said shank.

References Cited in the file of this patent or the original patentUNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 21,841 Northrop et a1 June 24, 1941 270,168Willis Jan. 2, 1883 671,246 Stuth Apr. 2, 1901 703,739 Rech July 1, 19021,036,275 Langford Aug. 20, 1912 1,451,370 Powell Apr. 10, 19231,865,163 Bedell June 28, 1932 1,978,844 McLeland Oct. 30, 19342,208,663 Conroy July 23, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 32,791 Sweden Ian. 24,1911

